Who Will Stand Witness? (2)
Inside the Wuxia Alliance lurked a spy and assassin.
How exactly was I supposed to reveal that person’s existence to the Alliance Leader?
To make him believe my words, I would need solid evidence. And to figure out how to obtain that proof, I had arrived late at night at one of Wuhan’s most infamous establishments.
“This is the place.”
The Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.
One of the most famous brothels in Wuhan. A place so renowned that every wealthy visitor to the city made it a point to stop by at least once.
I hadn’t originally planned to come here. After long deliberation, however, I realized I had no other choice.
Because according to the original story, this was where the Hao Clan operated.
“...No one would ever suspect the Hao Clan of hiding in a place like this.”
If you want to hide a tree, hide it in a forest. The clan had taken that proverb to heart when choosing their location. As a result, they had operated inside the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion for over a century without the orthodox factions discovering their true identity.
Or, to be more precise, both sides were simply looking the other way.
The information the Hao Clan could provide was extremely valuable to the righteous sects as well. In exchange for sharing that intelligence, they had been tacitly permitted to establish a branch within Wuhan.
The Beggars’ Sect didn’t seem particularly thrilled about the arrangement, though.
Of course, the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion’s management was frighteningly quick-witted. They had reached an understanding that neither side would interfere with the other, provided the beggars didn’t cross any lines—such as openly distributing food to their members. As long as that boundary was respected, there would be no conflict.
The real problem was that, in the original novel, the Hao Clan eventually sided with the Heavenly Demon.
Pinpointing exactly when that happened was difficult. The Hao Clan only appeared for a few chapters before vanishing from the story, and the event itself took place more than a year from now.
But one thing was certain.
The Hao Clan Leader would fall into a trap set by his own branch leaders who had already submitted to the Demonic Cult and end up assassinated.
Which meant that if I could save the Clan Leader, I would gain an excellent source of information.
Given my limited network, having an information broker separate from Jegal Hyeon-sang was a rather favorable development.
Of course, I couldn’t exactly claim that the man’s motives were completely pure either.
“Excuse me. This place is…”
“The Celestial Fragrance Pavilion. Were you about to tell me you don’t serve foreigners?”
I slightly lifted my bamboo hat and stared at the guard. I hadn’t threatened him or released any killing intent, yet the overwhelming pressure radiating from the massive Westerner’s frame was not something an ordinary sentry could withstand.
The two guards exchanged quick glances, then stepped aside.
“B-by any chance… are you the Lion Sword Hero?”
“That’s correct.”
There weren’t any other Westerners in the Central Plains besides me. I let out a small chuckle at the obvious question and patted the guard’s shoulder.
“Why so nervous? Do I look like the type to cause trouble?”
“N-no, sir.”
“Then I’d appreciate it if you’d let me in. I’m curious what a Central Plains brothel is like.”
There was no reason for the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion to turn me away.
I wasn’t a warrior from the Evil Sect or the Demonic Cult. I belonged to the righteous path, and although my clothes were somewhat worn, I had more than enough money.
I had earned quite a bit through various incidents, after all.
“It’s my first time here, so I’ll need a guide. Please call someone suitable.”
“Understood. Please follow me.”
The guard led me inside. The moment I stepped into the grand greeting hall of the massive pavilion, countless gazes locked onto me.
Most were filled with surprise and curiosity.
I resisted the urge to look around and kept my eyes moving discreetly.
Compared to the Moon Fragrance Pavilion I had visited before, the decor was slightly less ostentatious, but it was still undeniably luxurious. Expensive wall paintings, countless lavish ornaments, and courtesans wearing relatively revealing clothing greeted the guests.
Still, after seeing truly enormous things on a daily basis, it doesn’t really feel lewd.
The courtesans were certainly impressive in their own right, but after experiencing having your face smothered by breasts the size of watermelons, anything smaller seemed relatively modest by comparison.
“...If Hye-ryeong finds out about this, it’s going to be annoying.”
Knowing her personality, she might feel a little hurt if she learned I had come to a brothel. Though to be honest, she’d probably just get mildly angry.
Whatever. I’m just here to do business and leave. Why am I even worrying?
I needed to make contact with the Hao Clan as quickly as possible.
“Welcome to the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion, Sir Wei.”
This man must be the manager.
I studied the goat-bearded man dressed in obviously high-quality clothing.
He was undoubtedly the person in charge here—and the branch leader of the Hao Clan’s Wuhan division. Asking about the Hao Clan directly would only result in him playing dumb.
To summon them, I needed to enter a room and send a specific signal in front of the courtesan.
“Enough with the formalities. Just give me a suitable room. I plan to drink a little and leave.”
“Understood. Mae-hyang. Escort our honored guest to the VIP room.”
“Yes, Pavilion Master. Sir Wei, please follow me.”
I followed the brown-haired Mae-hyang to the VIP room. After walking for a few minutes, we arrived at a space decorated with luxurious ornaments truly worthy of the name.
It was rather small since it was meant for a limited number of guests, but that wasn’t what mattered.
I sat down and looked at Mae-hyang, who had taken the seat across from me.
She looked back at me.
This is awkward.
I didn’t have much experience talking with women other than Hye-ryeong, so dealing with this felt somewhat uncomfortable.
“...When is the food coming?”
“The servants have gone to prepare the table. It should arrive shortly.”
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, the door opened and a table laden with food was placed between us. At a glance, it was clearly more than one person could eat alone.
“Allow me to pour you a drink.”
“...Ah, yes.”
I held out a cup smaller than a standard drinking glass and watched as she filled it. Nothing particularly special. I brought the dangerously full cup closer and stared at it blankly.
“It has a pleasant aroma.”
“This is Jiannanchun. A very precious liquor.”
I took a test sip—roughly half a mouthful. A slightly sweet flavor slid across my tongue before warming my throat.
The alcohol content must be quite high.
After finishing my first impressions of the unfamiliar drink, I picked up my chopsticks and began tasting the dishes before me.
“Um… Sir Hero?”
“Don’t disturb someone while they’re eating.”
“...Understood.”
No matter how urgent the matter, even Mount Geumgang comes after a meal.
Since I had no intention of letting anything interrupt my dinner, I systematically devoured every dish on the table. From richly seasoned meat to stir-fried vegetables, each time another plate disappeared into my stomach, I would glance at Mae-hyang. She maintained an awkward smile the entire time.
Her eyes seemed to say, What kind of person does this?
Well, if someone comes to a brothel and only eats, that reaction is understandable.
But I wasn’t particularly fond of drinking, nor was I the type to enjoy playing around with courtesans.
For a former soldier, those hurdles were simply too high.
Only after nearly every bowl and plate on the table had been emptied did I finally set down my chopsticks.
Not on the table—on top of the wine cup.
Laid across it in the shape of a cross.
To an outsider, it might look like the strange behavior of a drunkard, but this was the signal to call the Hao Clan.
At least according to the original story.
I withdrew my hand and watched Mae-hyang’s reaction. The smile she had maintained in front of me faltered slightly as she looked at the cup. Then she carefully turned and knocked on the door five times.
Tap tap. Tap. Tap tap.
There was a clear rhythm to it. It seemed you had to follow that exact pattern.
It felt rather romantic for a secret organization.
Even if it was indeed a secret organization.
“I didn’t realize you were interested in our side of things.”
“I’m more interested in this than in women and wine.”
“Hoho…”
Soon, the sound of approaching footsteps reached us. The door opened, and the goat-bearded man from earlier stepped inside.
“Sir Wei. I never imagined you would know about our Hao Clan.”
“Everyone keeps quiet about it, but I have ears in the right places.”
“Mae-hyang, you may leave now.”
“Yes, Pavilion Master.”
Mae-hyang exited, and the goat-bearded man took her place.
Unlike his earlier polite demeanor in the hallway, he now wore a sly, cunning smile and began rubbing his hands together.
“I didn’t expect the Lion Sword Hero to come here with a request.”
“I figured you’d be better informed than the Beggars’ Sect.”
“When you say that area…”
“The Demonic Cult.”
“...I-is that so?”
“So if you have any information related to their branches, sell it to me. Will this be enough?”
I placed a heavy pouch on the table.
The money I had earned during my travels.
It would leave my pouch considerably lighter, but if things went well, replenishing it would be simple.
“…May I check the amount?”
“Of course.”
The goat-bearded man carefully opened the pouch, took out the contents, and began counting each coin. After a long while, he looked up at me.
“Compared to the information you’re seeking, this amount is somewhat…”
“Insufficient?”
“...Y-yes, that is correct…”
A servile expression crept across the man’s face.
It was a look that would never have appeared if I had been some mediocre client. I studied his face for a moment before speaking.
“Then I’ll throw in one more piece of information for free.”
If it could be proven, I might as well offer something that would make them scrape the bottom of their barrel.
“…If it concerns the Demonic Cult, it will need to be exceptionally rare information.”
“I heard the Hao Clan has been suffering quite a bit lately.”
I slowly signaled the true beginning of our negotiation.